Founded in 1893, the IWW (or Wobblies) had a particular appeal among the miners and unskilled laborers in the rural West. The execution in Utah of the Swedish immigrant organizer Joe Hill contributed to the folklore of the union, but federal prosecution of its leaders led to its end by 1920.

The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW or the Wobblies) is an international union currently headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. At its peak in 1923 the organization claimed some 100,000 members in good standing, and could marshal the support of perhaps 300,000 workers. Its membership declined dramatically after a 1924 split brought on by internal conflict and government repression.